1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to electrical fuse holders for accepting cartridge fuses as now generally used for relatively small currents (up to 30 amperes) and low voltages (below 1000 V. a.c. or 1500 V. d.c.)
2. Description of the Prior Art
A very wide variety of fuse holders of this general type is already known.
In one extensive class of fuse holders for cartridge fuses the fuse catridge is frictionally held by one end cap in a first contact member mounted in a cap member of insulating material which is engageable upon an end of a generally tubular body member of insulating material into which the fuse cartridge is inserted so that its other end cap makes resilient contact with a second contact member connected directly to one terminal member of the fuse holder. A part of the first contact member is arranged, when the cap member is engaged upon the tubular body member, to make electrical contact with an electrical conductor connected to another terminal member of the fuse holder. Although some fuse holders of this general construction are proof against accidental contact between an operator's finger and a possibly live contact member or terminal member of the fuse holder, all suffer from the disadvantage that an additional frictional electrical connection is necessary in the electrical circuit between the contact member in the cap member and the associated terminal member. Fuse holders of this type are therefore often suitable for low currents, for example, up to five amperes.
In another extensive class of cartridge fuse holders, the fuse holder comprises a body member provided with a slot into which a fuse cartridge may be placed laterally, with its end caps simultaneously engaging in respective contact clips. To avoid the necessity for an operator to extract the cartridge from the clips, some such fuse holders have a lid-like carrier member provided internally with a means for grasping the portion of the fuse cartridge intermediate the end caps. It is however, a disadvantage of this type of fuse holder that manual contact with the possibly live fuse clips is very possible. It is a further disadvantage of known fuse holders of this type that dislodgement of the fuse carrier and fuse can rather readily occur by accidental contact with a projecting portion of the carrier provided for ease in handling.